Wednesday, July 9, 2008

You're too kind

I've been given a rather lovely award by that creative gnome-loving genius, Tomfoolery, and the delightfully informative Debs, who both deserve it far more than I do. It's called Arte y pico, which roughly translates as 'ooh you are awful, but I like you!' I think.

In a similar vein I was tagged by lovely Ernest, who kindly described me as his 'favourite librarian.' What? I thought. I'm a librarian? It's funny how the word still conjures up lumpen spinsters in hairy tweed, sporting furry shins and carefully controlled hair, shushing the general public. I'm sooooo not like that. No REALLY, I'm not. Okay so I favour the occasional cardigan, but cardis are a long way from the uneven fairisle numbers, knitted by glaucoma-riddled grannies of yesteryear.

I've never shushed a member of the public (out loud) and while I don't fetch up at work in denim hotpants with my hair in bunches, I haven't settled for elasticated waists (they're scheduled for early 2009, depending on future cake consumption) and a blue-rinse either.

On that note, it's odd to think that old-lady hairstyles and coats are probably going to (literally) die out over the next generation, isn't it? My mum's hairstyle is still trendy, for instance, and I'm quite determined not to go down the 'nice little perm' route myself, so there really won't be any sights like this in the not too distant future...






Which is quite sad, in a way.

Anyway, I appear to have travelled a long way from the point of this post, which was...um...(scratches unpermed head)...

Terrible weather we're having, for the time of year.

20 comments:

Fiona Mackenzie. Writer said...

I remember my father commuting to his job in London. He and all the other men wore bowler hats. We're only talking mid-seventies but you never see them now.

DAB said...

"Creative gnome-loving genius" Clarkey want blinkin' blog are you reading! Go and get your head examined woman, I've the IQ of dressmaker's dummy.

Oh, do not fear as "The sun has got his hat on his coming out to play"(sometime soon) Tommox

Denise said...

Next time you're missing your date stamp go and shush someone, go on, you know you want to...

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

I have an award for you at my place.

HelenMWalters said...

We're not allowed to use the word cardigan in our house. We have to say 'jumper with a zip'. Don't ask me why ...

Tamsyn Murray said...

But what if it has buttons, Helen??

Michelle said...

The image of the library manager at Bodmin turning up in hot pants and bunches is too funny to comprehend...but then he is male, American, in his late 30's, six foot tall and has a stubbly chin! Hot pants and bunches may attract a whole new client base to the library methinks!!!
Michelle

Lane Mathias said...

Dick Emery?? Do you twist your ankle as you walk away too?:-)

I will mourn the extinction of 'traditional' old ladies. All those coats with big buttons and hats.
Mind you I have a coat with big buttons ... and a hat (and quite a collection of cardis too). No perm though. No, no:-)

Kerry said...

But being a librarian is the new cool! Check out Jenn Ashworth, smart, funny and soon to be published librarian. Sometimes I wish you didn't need "Information Curation" degree's so I could be one too....ah the books! The vintage suits and rhinestone glasses worn with out irony and the Kudos!! It is probably my dream job :)

Jill Steeples said...

It's a shame though, isn't it? I wish we could slip into blue-rinses and cardigans at 45. Now we have to trip around looking like Joan Collins until we're well into our eighties.

Sherri said...

I used to work in Bodmin library (small world!) and though I never wore hotpants I may have done the bunches thing - well, I was a teenager at the time.

Yvonne said...

I long to have a job where I can legitimately shush someone! I regularily shush people in cinemas but they just ignore me, grumble.

Dumdad said...

'ooh you are awful, but I like you!'

That dates you - and me!

I haven't seen Dick Emery for many a year. Of course, Frog TV don't show him, but they adore Benny Hill.

Congrats on award.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I don't think I would have minded being an old lady with a blue rinse and cardigan.

My mother is far fitter than I am and phoned the other day talking about how she'd just finished at the gym and was on a detox diet. My grandmother died several years ago at 89 and wouldn't have dreamt of having a blue rinse.

I quite like the idea of elasticated trousers.

Tamsyn Murray said...

Hey, I quite fancy the librarian at Bodmin Library. Is that wrong?

Karen said...

fiona - Bowler hats and brollies! You're right - not a sight we see these days :o)

tommo - Well even a dressmaker's dummy is good for something! The sun still hasn't got his bloomin' hat on by the way...

denise - I'm often tempted, believe me!

mob - Ooh, how lovely! Thank you so much for that :o)

helenmh - Jumper with a zip?? Even if it has buttons and a belt? Or neither? I may be overthinking this of course!

tam - My thoughts exactly!

mickmouse - He sounds rather fetching! I'd better not try it or I might scare all our customers away :o)

lane - Only by accident!

I suppose one day folks won't be able to believe people actually looked like that. Anyway, I'm going to hang on to my cardis, and no-one can stop me...

kerry - Jenn Ashworth is very funny indeed - a cool librarian!

Not one to rain on your parade, but library books can be a litte, er, grubby, shall we say? and there's still a lot of sensible hair going on. In fact the only vintage I've seen ARE the books!

maddie - There's must be something soothing about ageing gracefully - too much hard work otherwise!

bernadette - Is is a small world! You can get away with most things as a teenager :o)

yvonne - Noisy people in the cinema drive me mad, and they get worse if you try and shush them!

dumdad - Dick Emery? Benny Hill? I have no idea who you're talking about ;o)

debs - My mum's really fit as well. No harm in keeping an elasticated waist on standby though!

tam - It's generally quite unusual to fancy librarians I believe!

Tamsyn Murray said...

Cor, it's jolly confusing when you answer two posts in the same post (er...I know what I mean). I read "My thoughts exactly, Tam" to mean you also fancied the Bodmin librarian and didn't feel so sordid. Then you crushed me by saying it was unusual to fancy a librarian. I reckon there'll be a few of your regular library patrons who quite like the look of you, Ms Clarke...

Karen said...

Sorry about that Tam - I'm a bit confused myself :)

I've probably offended all the librarians thinking about it, because of course all their lovely 'other halves' must fancy them. Dunno where that leaves the spinsters though...

Tamsyn Murray said...

Depends on the spinster, I suppose. Hey, talking of spinsters, I was most disappointed to find that they don't call one a 'spinster of this parish' any more when they read your banns of marriage out in church. Just thought I'd share that.

Michelle said...

I am feeling very guilty as I have appeared to incite lust in fellow bloggers for the Bodmin library manager. I feel responsible for this so will hopefully end lustful thoughts by saying he is married with three children!! My conscience feels clearer now!